Dipper stick



Sept. 22 1931. v E. H. LICHTENBERG Q 1,824,605

1 DIPPER STICK Filed June 9, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1 P 2 1931- i E. H.LICHTENBERG 1,824,606

DIPPER STICK Filed June 9, 1923 2 She ets-Sheet 2 its-.5

"" M o g4: 23

MI I

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 f UNITED STATES OFFICE Enron, 1 LICHTENBERG, orMILWAUKEE,'WISCQNSIEQASSIGNOR TO KonHRrne COMPANY, or ,MILWAUKEE vWisconsin V v DIrrER STICK Application filed tunes,

The, present invention relates in general to excavating, or shovelingmachines of that type which are power driven and include a dippercarried by the swinging end-of a dipper stick, andamongthe objects ofthe invention are to provide a dipper stick which embodies novelfeatures of construction, whereby it is flexible and will yield incertain directions tofacilitate the operation of the machine and preventexcessive stresses.

In the operation of power driven excavate ing machines it sometimeshappens'that when the dipper is swung laterally its "side swipes. thetop of the bank or encounters someyobstruction, with the result thatvery heavy strains and stresses are produced .in the connectionbetweentheinner end'of the boom and the machine. Owing to the fact thatany lateral force acting on the dipper has a very powerful leverage onthe parts connecting the boom to the; machine; the

stressesv produced inlsuch parts are very great and breakage is liableto happen therein. According to the present invention-the dipper arm isconstructed" sothat' it isflexible to a certainextent in a lateral.direction and will operate as a shock absorber and reduce the stressesto such an extent that thedanger of breakage mayjbe partially or,completely eliminated.

While certain particular embodiments of the invention are shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that manymodifications and changes can be made in the design, proportions anddetails of construction without departing-fromthe spirit of theinvention.

For a full understanding ofthe invention reference is to be had to the.following description and accompanying 1 drawings in which, Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of one formof dipper arm which "is constructedin accordance with the invention, the normal position thereof.beingshown by fulllines, andone of the positions assumed when the arm isflexed being shown by dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken on the line 22of Figure 1. r

1926- Serial no; 114,sa2.. 1

Figure '3 is a sectional'viewthroughone side of a modified constructionof the dipper arm", showing a portion-of the gearing be-. tween the"dipper arm and dipper shaft- Figure tis a plan view showinganothermodified-construction of theflexible dipper arm. 1 Figure 5 is, anenlarged transverse sec-,- tional "View taken onthe. line 5-5 ofFigure4.. Figuret' is a top plan view of a modified form of. theinvention in, whichthe dipper stick comprisesa 'singlelaminated arm.Figure 7 isv an enlarged transverse secs tional view throughafsinglelarm laminated dipper stick showinga shipper-{shaft as; semblyfor a cabledrive. V Figure 8 is a similar view showing a: ship. pershaft assembly fora wok and pinion drive.

I Corresponding and like'parts are. referred to in the followingdescription and indicated on. all of thexviews of the drawings by likereference characters. I i

.Referring to Figures land 2 of-the drawings, thev referencefcharacterdesignates two half sections of the dipper. stickwhich is ofthebifurcated pattern and adapted to andr3fof each section-Athereof aresecurely fastened together in some. suitable manner as by means of thebolts'i.v The. plates 1,. 2 and 3 are superposed on each other and havetheir longer dimensions arranged substantially in verticalplanes so thatthe'dipper is held rigidlyagainst .up and down-movement,'but can fiexoryield laterally.v

The main element or leaf 1 of each dipper I sectionirk may be thickerandheavierthan the shorter plates or leaf members 2 and 3, as shown moreclearly by Figure 2. The elements or plates 1 may also be wider than theplates 2 and 3, so that the bolts 4* of the shackle members 4 may passthrough edge portions of the plates 1, as shown by Figure 2. This leavesthe inner face of each section A of the dipper stick free and clear ofobstructions, and. also anchors the shackle members in position'so. thatthey are prevented from creeping. The sections A of the dipper stickhave a spaced and parallel relation and are assembled with the shorterplates 2 and (3 on the outer side;

of each of the main plates 1. The twosections A are slidably engaged ontheir inner faces by saddle block members 8L These saddle blocks arekeyed to a shipper shaft which is journaled' in a suitable bearing 9 ona boom 10, said boom being indicated by dotted lines on Figure 1-. Anysuitable form of crowding mechanismrmay be employed. although with theconstruction which has just been described, a cable-racking and crowdingmeans would probably be preferable. The dipper stick is thus mounted sothat it can have the usual longitudinal movement, and will be operatedin the usual manner. although the construction thereof is such that itcan flex or yield laterally when an obstruction is encountered upon alateral movementof the dipper, thereby enabling the dipper stick to actas a shock absorber and prevent excessive strains accompanied by apossible breakage at the inner end of the boom..

A modification is shown by Figure 3 in which each section A of thebifurcated dipper stick comprises a main plate or leaf element 11 with aplurality of smaller plate or leaf elements 12 on each side thereof,said plates or leaf members being held together by shackles 13. One edgeof the main plate or leaf member 11 is formed with a rack which engagesa pinion l l on the shipper shaft 15 The opposite edge of the main plateor leaf member 11 is slidably engagedby another form of saddle block 16which serves to direct the dipper stick in its sliding movements andhold the rack in operative engagementwith the pinion. This form ofdipper stick is adapted to flex laterally to absorb sudden shocks andjars when an obstruction is encountered by the dipper. I i Y furthermodification is shown by Fignres 4 and 5', in which eachvsection A of'the dipper stick includesa plurality of wide plates or leaf members 17and a plurality of comparatively narrow plates or leaf members 18, saidplates or leaf members being assembled in a side by side relation andheld together by suitable shackles 19. One end of each of the sections Ais pivotally connected to'the dipper 5 insome suitable mansections A,which movement might be objectionable if-certain forms of gearing wereused for operating the dipper stick. In all of the forms of theinvention the dipper stick is constructed so that it can flex laterallyandabsorb sudden shocks and jars such as those which are caused when thedipper is being swung laterally and side swipes the top of the bank ormeets an obstruction.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a still further modification in which thedipper-stick comprises a single laminated arm. As

shown by Figures 6, 7 and 8 this dipper stick comprises a central platev22 which is provided at each side thereofwith theprogressively shorterplates 23 and 24. The side plates 23 and 24, as is shown more clearly byFigures 7- ancl 8, are preferably narrower than the 'main plate 22, sothat the longitudinal edges of the main plate project beyond the edgesof the side plates. Suitable shackles 25 are employed to hold the sideplates in position, and these shackles may be conveniently fastened bybolts 26 or like.

members which extend through the projecting edge portions of the mainplate and connect" the shacklemembers on opposite sides thereof. The endof the main plate 22 is shown-as rigidly secured at 27 to the dipper'5.

011 Figure 7 'is shown a shipper shaft assembly which is adapted for acable drive. The shipper shaft 28 issuitably journaled on the boom 29and provided at its middle portion with a' grooved guide wheel '30 whichengages one of the edge portions of the main plate 22. The opposite edgeportion of the main plate of the dipper stick is slidably engaged by asuitable saddle block 31 so that the dipper stick is effectively guidedduring its in and out movements.

.Figure 8 shows a shipper shaft assembly which is designed for a rackand pinion drive. The shipper shaft 28 is suitably journaled upon theboom 29 as in' the previous instance. The middle portion of the shippershaft is provided with a pinion 32 which meshes with a rack 33 on theedge of the main plate of the dipper stick. This rack is shown asprovided at the sides thereofwith guide flanges .which straddle thepinion and prevent lateral displacement of the rack upon the pinion. Theopposite edge of the main plate of the dipper stick is slidably engagedby a suitable saddle block 34. The dipper stick is thus effectivee lyguided in its back and forth movements and adapted to be propelled bythe cooperation of the rack and pinion.

This single arm dipper stick is, of course, constructed so that it willflex or yield laterally when an obstruction is encountered upon alateral movement of the dipper, thereby enabling the dipper stick to actas a shock absorber and tend toprevent the dangerous and excessivestrains which are produced in the parts at the inner end of the boomunder such circumstances.

The present invention is characterized by the capacity of the dipperstick to flex without injury to itself, and without injury to the partscooperating with it. To this end, the stick is essentially formed ofspringleaf construction, preferably of the flat or plate spring type,and as a further specific detail also, by preference, having leaf mitlateral shifting of the dipper relative to the side members.

6. In an excavating machine, a dipper, a flexible dipper stick therefor,composed of spaced side members,- each of which is fiex-- ible, and ashiftable connection between the side members and the dipper.-

i 7. In an excavating machine, a dipper, a 1

flexible dipper stick therefor composed of spaced side members each ofwh ch is flexible in a direction transverse to the direction of loadstresses, and pivotal connections between the dipper stick sidemembersand the dipper axially disposed in a direction trans- ERICH H.LICHTENB-ERG.

I claim as new and desire'to secure by Let-' ters Patent is: r

1. In excavating machines, a dipper, a

laminated dipper stick having the laminae on one side thereof narrowingdown in width dimension, and shackles engaglng about the laminae forholding the laminae together,

said shackles including bolts which pass through the edge portions of alamina only. 2. In excavating machines, a dipper, and

a laminated dipper stick section including i a main plate and auxiliaryside plates, the

side plates being narrower than the main plate and one of the projectingedges of the main plate being formed with a rack inde-' pendent of-thesideplates.

3. In an excavating machine, a dipper, and a stick composed of a pair ofspaced members and a shiftable connection intermediate the spacedmembers and the respective sides of the dipper, permitting relativemovement of the members-while maintaining the normal relative positionof the dipper. 7 4. In an excavating machine, a dipper, and a dipperstick composed of spaced parallel side members yieldable laterally underforce of side impacts, and pivot connections intermediate said membersand the dipper extending in a vertical plane whereby the dipper ismaintained in its normal relative excavating position during the lateralyield-

